Post by Steve Deckert on 04/17/08 at 18:45:46
The SE84, SE84A, SE84B, SE84C 1997~2008
Replaced by the SE84C+ in 2008. https://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84C.htm
Below is the original web page:
These amps are easy to recognize because they were all gray in color.
THE ORIGINAL SE84 had a switch on the top that was used to change the amp from Single Ended Triode to Single Ended Pentode. Even though the Pentode mode was 5.7 watts per channel vs. the Triode mode's 2 watts per channel, 9 out of 10 people preferred the Triode mode and felt because of it's excellent weight and balance that it actually seemed like more power than when it was in Pentode mode.
THE SE84A optimized the amplifier for Triode mode only and changed the operation of the switch to adjust the bias of the input tube. Making the bias adjustable between two settings created two distinct sounding amplifiers, but unlike the SE84, both sound great!
THE SE84B was simply a revision to the power supply. The rather large 8 section pie filter was reduced to 4 sections. This actually enhanced the speed of the amp resulting in finer detail.
THE SE84C was a subtle revision to the final section of the pie filter changing it from a single cap to a pair of caps in series. This created a time constant relating the power supplies speed that gave a more relaxed sound while further improving detail.
There are over 1000 of these little gray amplifiers bringing joy to someone's listening room. They were built to last in hopes that they would become a classic someday. While this amp is still in production with it's latest revision, production has stopped with the little gray chassis.
With all the newer Decware amplifiers one might wonder if these "classics" are still valid contenders or do the new amps leave them in the dust with better technology or sound. The answer is yes, and no.
Steve Deckert